Washing machine



March 31. 1925.

1,531,815 R. s. ROBE WASHING MACHINE Filed Oct. 9,. 1924 lnvenToT.

RoberT 5. R0 be b iwwwzm Attys.

chines which are especially adapted for 'of Watertown, county Patented Mar. 31, 1925.

nonnn'r s. noun, or warnn'rown', massacnnsm'rs.

wasnme uacamn.

Application filed October a; 1924. Serial No. 742,565.

To allwhom itmaq covw'em.

Be it known that I, ROBERT S. Roan, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Middlesex, State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Washing Machines, of which the following description, inconnection with the accompanying drawin is a specification, like characters onthe rawing representing like parts. 1 y

This invention .relates to washing mawashing clothes and other articles of a more or less absorbent nature. I

The most efficient way to wash clothes and similar articles is by forcing the suds or other cleansing fluid through'them repeat-- edly and it is one of the objects of the present invention to provide a washing machine which operates on this principleand does not subject the clothes to any rubbing or agitating "action which has a more or less destructive effect on washed. In the operation of an apparatus embodythe articles being 'i-ng my invention the clothes or other articles'to be washed are so treated that they are alternately and repeatedly saturated or filled with the suds or other cleansing fluid and then subjected to pressure to express the suds from them. In this way' the suds is repeatedly drawn into the interstices in the fabrics being washed and then is forced from the interstices, an operation which is effective in properly washing the clothes.

, The preferred embodiment of the invention comprises a container or-receptacle in J which the articles to be washed arev placed together with means for drawing. the suds or other cleansing fluid into the container so that the clothes will become saturated with such suds or cleansing fluid and then for'cing the cleansing fluid out of the container and out of and through' the articles within the container. I

A convenient and practical construction is one in which means are provided 'for producingsufiicient suction. inthe container to draw the suds' or other cleansing fluid into it and then subjecting the. clothes in the container to pressure to express the suds therefrom, theseoperations being repeated until the washing is completed. The container may have a ipe connection leadin thereto which is adapted to be connecte with a containing the suds-or other claims.

cleansing fluid so that as the suction or vacuum conditions are produced in the container the sudswill be drawn by suction from the tank into the container and when the pressure is developed in the container the suds willbe forced from the container and through the' clothes therein back into the tank again.

If it is desired to rinse'and blue the clothes in addition to washing them after the washing operation has been carried on for a suificient length of time the pipe con- 4 nection from the container may be connected to a tank or receptacle containing rinsing water in which case the rinsing water will be repeatedly and alternately drawn into the container and into the clothes and then will be expelled therefrom thus performing the rinsing operation.

For blueing the clothes the pipe connection may simply be connected to a tank contaming blueingwater and when this is done" the blueing water will be drawn into the tank and the clothes and. then expressed vfrom the clothes.

In order to give an understanding of the invention I have illustrated in the-drawing a selectedembodiment thereof which will now be described after'which the novel features will be pointed out in the appended The drawing shows partially in section'a machine embodying the invention and adaptedto wash clothes or similar articles.

The device comprises a container 1 in which the clothes 2 to be washed may be placed. This container has connected thereto a conduit or pipe 3 which communicates with a tank 4 or other receptacle/containing the cleansing fluid.

The tankherein illustrated is an open. top I pipe 3 is merely tank and the end of the inserted into the tank "so as to be immersed in the cleansing fluid therein, this being a simple and inexpensive way of connectin the pipe to the tank. Any other way '0 doing this ina parting from't e' invention The device also comprises means for forcing the suds or cleansing fluid from the'tank be employed without de- 4 into the-receptacle 1 and into the clothes 2 and then expelling the cleansing fluid from the receptacle 1 back into the tank 4 again thereb forcing the cleansing fluid out of and t rough the clothes 2. A convenient .way of doing this is to provide means for producing suction in the container 1 suflicient to draw the suds or cleansing fluid from the tank 4 into said chamber and then to produce a sufiicient pressure in said chamber to expel the suds or cleansing fluid therefrom.

-In the construction herein shown this alternate' suction and pressure is secured by providing means for alternately increasing. and decreasing the volume of the clothes- A jected to pressure which squeezes the suds receiving chamber in the container. simple way of accomplishing this is to place Within the container a water tight rubber bag 5 which is connected through a suitable coupling 6 to the cylinder 7 of a plunger pump, which cylinder is filled with water and has a pistoiror plunger 8 operating therein. This piston or plunger is connected by a connecting rod 9 to a crank ,disklO, which is carried by a shaft 31. The rotation of the crank disk will move the plunger or piston 8 up and down and during the upward stroke of the plunger the water in the cylinder will be forced into the rubber bag 5 thus ex anding the latter and-correspondingly re ucing the size of the clothescontaining compartment, while when the plunger or piston v8 moves downwardly the water will be withdrawn from the'bag thus collapsing the latter and increasing the size of the clothes-containing compartment. The bag 5 constitutes in effect a movable partition which divides the container or easing 1 into the clothes-receiving compartment and into another compartment within the bag into which the water or other fluid is forced under pressure.

The container 1 is shown as spherical in shape and is made in two semi-spherical parts 11 and 12 which are hinged together at 13 and which may be clamped in closed position by a of the upper section 12 is perforated as shown at 15 and a hood 161is secured exteriorly to the wall of the section 12 at the perforated. portion, said hood forming a chamber 17 within it which communicates with the clothes-receiving compartment through the apertures 16 and to which the hose pipe 3 is connected.

Assuming that there are clothes or articles to be washed in-the clothes-containing compartment and that the plunger 8 is at the upper end of its stroke with the bag 5 expanded, it will be understood that when the plunger moves downwardly and withdraws the water from the bag 5 the latter will collapse thus producing suction in the chamber 1 which will draw suds or cleansing fluid from the tank 4 through the pipe 3 into the clothes-containing compartment. At. the next up stroke of the plunger 8 thebag 5 will be expanded thus subjecting the clothes to pressure and forcing the suds or cleansing fluid out through the perforations 16,

suitable clamp 14. The wall.

chamber 17 and the hose pipeS into the tank 4. The continued reciprocation of the phinger 8 will thus alternately draw the suds or cleansing ing compartment and expel it therefrom.

.As the suds or other cleansing fluid, is drawn into the compartment it will be soaked up or absorbed by the clothes and will fill the interstices in the fabrics and when the bag 5 is expanded the clothes are subor other cleansing fluid out of the clothes. There is thus an alternate absorption of the sudsout of the clothes and the squeezing the clothesreceiving compartment expands and will be slowly squeezed from the clothes as said compartment is contracted.

The crank disk 10 may be rotated by any suitable means which'will drive it at the desired speed and merely as in illustration of one suitable mechanism I have shown said crank disk as in the form of a worm gear fluid into the clothes-contain-fl which meshes with and is driven by a worm 18 on the shaft of a suitable m tor 19.

In performing the washing operation it is desirable that the clothes should be subjected to approximately the same pressure at each up stroke of the plunger 8 and as the amount of water which it is necessary to force into the bag 5 to develop this desired pressure will vary as the amount of clothes in the container varies, I have provided means herein for compensating for such variation in the amount of clothes and thereby securing the desired pressure when the piston 8 is at the upper end of its stroke.

This is herein accomplished by. mounting the motor: 19 and shaft 31 on a yielding p latform 20. This platform is shown as supported by springs 21 which are connected to the frame 22 by which the container is supported. These springs are so constructed and adjusted that they will yield when the desired pressure in the container 1 has been reached and, therefore, whenever during the up stroke of the piston the desired pressure in the container 1 has been developed then the springs 21 will'yield' as the crank disk 10 continues its rotationtocarry the crank pin over the upper dead center. In this way the device will automatically adjust itself to varying amounts of clothes and the ac-' tion'will be the same whether a greater or a less number of clothes are in the clothes container.

If it is desired to rinse the clothes as Well operation of the machine .the clean rinsing water will be forced back and forth through the clothes thus rinsing them.

If it is desired to blue the clothes then a third tank 24 will be employed containing.

blueing water and the bl'ueing operation may be accomplished by introducing the pipe 3 into the tank 24 and operatin themachine so that the blueing water ,Wfil be ialternately and repeatedly drawn into the container 1 and expelled therefrom.

The use of the bag 5 produces in effect an expansible and contractible clothes-receiving chamber and it willbc noted that the washing operation is carried out by simply expanding thisxchamber to draw the suds or cleansing fluid into it and then contract ing the chamber to force the suds or cleansing fluid out of it, the suds or cleansing fluid during this operationbeing absorbed or soaked u by the clothes and then being expressed rom the clothes by pressure.

I claim: v

1. In a washing machine, the combination with a casing, of a movable partition dividing the easing into two chambers, one of which is adapted to receive the clothes to be washed, a receptacle for Washing Water, a. conduit for connecting the clothes-receiving chamber to said receptacle, means for alternately forcing a fluid under pressure into the other chamber and withdrawing said fluid from said chamber,-whereby the clothes-receiving chamber is alternately contracted and expanded, and during the expanding movement of said chamber the washing water is drawn from the receptacle into said chamber while during the contracting movement thereof the Washing water is expelled therefrom back into the receptacle.

'2. In a washing machine, the combination with a casing, of a movable partition dividing the casing into'two chambers, one of which is'adapted to receive the clothes to be'washed, a receptacle for washing water,

a conduit for connecting the clothes-receiving chamber to said receptacle, a pump device operating alternately to force fluid into the other chamber under pressure and Withdraw said fluid from said chamber, whereby the clothes-receiving chamber is alternately contracted and expanded and washing water is drawn into said chamber through said conduit and then expelledtherefrom through said conduit.

p 3. In a washing machis, the combination with an expansible and contractible chamber to receivethe clothes to bewashed, of

a receptacle separate from and independent of said chainber and adapted to contain cleansing fluid. a conduit connecting said chamber to said receptacle, said chamber being closed substantially ai'r tight except at said conduit, and means for alternately :ex-

panding and contracting said chamber,

whereby the cleansing fluid 'is alternately drawn into the chamber from the receptacle through said conduit and thenex lled from .t-he-chamber through, said conduit back into the receptacle again.

4. In a washing machine, the combination with a casing, of a movable artition dlvidmg the casing into two cham ers, one of, WlllCh is adapted to receive the to be washed, a receptacle for washing water, a conduit for connecting said clothesa pump receiving chamber to said receptacle; device foralternately forcing fluid into said chamber. under pressure and withdrawing said fluid from said other chamber whereby the clothes-receiving chamber is alternately g and expanded and washing water contracted is drawn from the receptacleinto the chamber during the expanding movement and is forced therefrom during the contracting movement, and means to limit the pressure developed in said other chamber by the pump device.

5. In a washing machine, the combina-- tion with an expansible and contractible chamber to receivethe clothes to be washed, of a plurality of tanks, a conduit for connecting said chamber to any one of said tanks, and means for alternately expanding and contracting the chamber whereby fluid from-the tank to which the chamber is connected will be alternately drawn into the chamber and expelled therefrom.

6. In a washing machine, the combination with an expansible and contraotible chamber to receive the clothes to be washed, of two tanks, one containing cleansing fluid and the other containingrinsing water, means for connecting the chamber to either tank, and means for alternately expandin and contracting the chamber, whereby flui from the tank to which the chamber is connected will be alternately drawn into the chamber and expelled therefrom.

7Q In a washing machine, the combination with a container to receive the clothes to be washed, of a tank containing cleansing fluid with which the container communicates, of a rubber bag withinthe chamber, a cylinder with which'said bag communicates, said cylinder being filled with a non-compressible fluid, a piston in said cylinder, and means for operating the piston whereby the bag will be alternately expanded and contracted thereby contracting and expanding the chamber in which the clothes are received. A

8. In a washing machine, the combinaclothes I tion with a container having a movable wall, the space on one side of said Wall constitut ing a clothes-receiving compartment, a cylinder communicating with the space on the other side of said Wall, a piston in said cylinder, said cylinder being filled with a noncompressible uid, a receptacle containing cleansing fluid which has communication with said clothes-receiving compartment, and means for operating the piston. 10

In testimony whereof, I have signed. my name to this specification.

ROBERT S. ROBE. 

